Rowan is 12 pounds 1 3/4 ounces today! Wow. Oh, and about the surgery. It's very minor. Not even surgery, really. But it looks like intervention will be needed to remove Rowan's umbilical cord stump! In this photo, taken today, you can see the persistent little bugger, blocking what will be a beautiful belly button.
After calling the pediatrician about an unrelated issue (that part is a long story with a short answer: clogged tear duct, happens all the time with babies, nothing to worry about), I mentioned in passing that Rowan's umbilical stump was still on. The nurse asked me a series of questions about the nature of this lingering beast, and at the conclusion she said I really needed to come in today or Monday to have it looked at. We were available today, so we siezed the appointment, ever hard to come by, with Dr. Seidel (who happens to be the wife of my obstetrician). Anyway, after examining Rowan, Dr. Seidel said this stump will almost surely not fall off on its own (no way to know why) and she referred us to a surgeon. I'll keep you posted when the beautification procedure has been completed.
Oh, and remember that red mark I thought I made with my ring? Turns out it's just coincidence that I noticed it at the same moment I accidentally drug my jewelry across the same spot. That red mark is a hemangioma, which will apparently grow in height (being raised from the skin), but not in width, until Rowan's about one year old. Then the spot will fade until, as an adult, it will be gone. Weird, huh?
He's wonderfully healthy and thriving, which is why I can sit back and laugh that in just one day he's been diagnosed with a clogged tear duct, a hemangioma, and a delayed cord separation!
On a totally lighter note, we may have to give away the rest of our size 1 diapers as they're getting nearly impossible to fasten! Our bouncing babe is on to size 2.